


When We Were Young

by allmyworldsastage



Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Academy Era, Alternate Universe, Coffee Shops, Dancing, F/F, Femslash, First Kiss, The Night Owl
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-12
Updated: 2017-07-12
Packaged: 2018-12-01 08:18:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11482365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allmyworldsastage/pseuds/allmyworldsastage
Summary: Kathryn discovered The Night Owl during her second month at the Academy.But the coffee shop holds importance for more than one of the Janeway women.





	When We Were Young

* * *

 

Kathryn discovered _The Night Owl_ during her second month at the Academy when she was strolling through the streets of San Francisco one late afternoon. She wouldn’t have paid the little shop any attention if it hadn’t been for the alluring aroma wafting over from the door when she walked past it. Suddenly yearning for some coffee she stepped inside and was immediately intrigued by the cosiness of the interior that stood in stark contrast to the plain storefront. Her sister would have called it old-fashioned, but Kathryn found it charming. The counter and tables were made of dark wood, and complemented by a ragtag assemblage of benches, stools and armchairs, many of which were adorned with cushions with flowery patterns. An endless amount of framed pictures hung on the walls and Kathryn could make out a few historical figures as well as beautiful paintings of landscapes and birds before it was her turn to order. Kathryn decided on a simple cup of black coffee and sat down in a small booth by the window. The sugar bowl on the table was shaped like an owl. Kathryn took a sip of her drink and let her eyes wander over the coffee shop, the people sitting at the tables and the ones passing by outside. Somehow it all fit and for the very first time Kathryn felt properly at home with being a cadet at Starfleet Academy.

 

Within a few weeks Kathryn knew all the baristas that worked at _The Night Owl_ , and they knew what their new regular always ordered. Kathryn stopped by at least four times a week after her classes, sometimes alone with a PADD to go through her notes again or to read, sometimes with other cadets to work on a project or to just spend some time together and talk. She soon became friends with Tom and Chakotay and whenever one of them worked while Kathryn was due to pay a visit, they tried and kept the booth by the window free for her.

 

One thing that Kathryn quickly learned about _The Night Owl_ was that everyone was the same there. Cadets, civilians, professors, couples, families, they all came there, they mingled, they had coffee together. Even the strictest lecturer was suddenly far less intimidating and became something of a regular person when she sat down in an armchair and blissfully closed her eyes while taking the first sip of her hot chocolate. Kathryn liked that about the place. It was very much part of Academy life, and still it sometimes felt like it was lightyears away from it all.

 

During her first exam period Kathryn began to really appreciate the fact that _The Night Owl_ always stayed open so very late – or early, depending on one’s point of view. She often spent her nights there, studying, finishing papers, despairing yet still getting her act together at the very last minute, all the while being fuelled by cup after cup of the best coffee she had ever had.

 

Once, when Kathryn’s mother and sister managed to visit her at the Academy, she took them to _The Night Owl_ as well. A couple of first-years were sitting in what was by then known as Cadet Janeway’s booth and started to clear off. Kathryn smiled at them and tried to convince them to stay where they were, but they insisted. Kathryn had seen them in the coffee shop before and she would definitely offer to help them when she saw them brooding over some physics assignment the next time. Kathryn and her visitors had just taken their seats when Chakotay came over to them. He usually only ever got to see Kathryn at the shop when he worked the night shift and seemed a bit surprised by her appearance around noon.

“Isn’t it a bit early for you, Kathryn?” he asked with a chuckle.

“My family is leaving later today and I couldn’t let them go without showing them this place.” “You’re right. Since you’re practically living here that would’ve been a shame.” Chakotay turned towards Gretchen and Phoebe. “So what can I get you, ladies? Does the love for coffee run in the family or would you prefer tea? Something with chocolate? Maybe I can recommend a few of our non-terran options?”

He wrote down their orders and then looked at Kathryn expectantly.

“You don’t have to ask, do you?”

“No, I really don’t.” He winked at her and left.

“Wow. You really own this place,” Phoebe said as soon as the women were alone again.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Kathryn scoffed. “I just like it here.”

Her mother raised her eyebrows in amusement.

“The staff is certainly charming,” she said after Chakotay had brought them their drinks.

“Right. That’s why I come here.” Kathryn rolled her eyes. “The coffee’s just a side issue.”

“An excellent one, though,“ Gretchen admitted after tasting her Bolian cappuccino.

They talked about other things after that, but as soon as their mother excused herself to the bathroom, Phoebe nodded towards the counter where Chakotay was busy preparing beverages.

“So, you and that barista, though…” she said.

“Chakotay?” Kathryn laughed.

“You’re not dating?”

“No! That’d be weird. We’re friends.”

“So, you wouldn’t mind if I gave him my comm number?”

“Be my guest,” Kathryn grinned. “I’m sure mom would be delighted.”

“Shut up!” Phoebe snickered and stuck out her tongue at Kathryn.

“What are you two quarrelling about?” Gretchen asked when she came back to the table.

“Nothing,” both of them all but shouted.

“U-huh.” Gretchen looked between Kathryn and Phoebe and finally shrugged when her daughters didn’t elaborate. “How about some more coffee before we have to leave then?”

“How about you go and get it, Phoebe?” Kathryn suggested and laughed at the rude gesture her sister made as soon as she was out of their mother’s sight.

 

When Kathryn came to _The Night Owl_ one evening a couple of months later, only a handful of tables were occupied. It was a long weekend because of some minor Federation holiday and many cadets had taken the opportunity to visit their families or to take a trip. Since her mother was at a conference off-world right now and Phoebe was busy, too, Kathryn had decided to stay at the Academy and take another American Sign Language workshop. She had started studying the language the year before and while she was usually so good at finding the right words and excelled in all of her diplomacy and rhetoric classes, she had to admit that it could be quite hard to communicate without actually using her voice. Because of that she was thankful for every opportunity to practise she could get. After a whole day of only signing, however, she felt like she could not only use a cup of coffee, but also someone to chat to. Kathryn was pretty sure that it was Chakotay’s shift and with a bit of luck he would have enough time to share a drink with her. She waited at the counter, but it wasn’t Chakotay who finally came out of the adjacent kitchen. It was Tom. Kathryn had heard people call him annoying, but she liked him. He could be very funny.

“Well, if it isn’t Patterson’s favourite,” he greeted her and Kathryn thought that the people who called Tom annoying weren’t exactly wrong either.

“You could be his favourite, too, if you would actually take some time to study fractal calculus instead of constantly trying to impress girls with your piloting skills,” Kathryn retorted with a smile and perched herself on one of the barstools at the counter.

“Speaking of which,” Tom said. “What are you doing tomorrow night?”

“I can tell you what I’m _not_ doing, and that’s spending it with you. Besides, we both know that between the two of us I’m the better pilot.”

“Quod erat demonstrandum,” Tom replied grinning and put a cup of coffee in front of her.

“Anyway, how come you’re working the night shift on a weekend? Shouldn’t Chakotay be here?” Kathryn asked and looked around the coffee shop. Her eye was caught by a woman sitting in Kathryn’s usual spot by the window. Her posture was excellent and she had bright red hair that danced over her shoulder blades with every movement of her head. Having a stack of PADDs next to her on the table and flipping through the paper pages of an actual book, she seemed to be buried in work.

“I’m covering for Chakotay. I owed him. He’s visiting some girl in Indiana. You’re from over there, aren’t you?”

Kathryn only half heard what Tom was saying.

“Kathryn?”

She turned back towards him and finished her coffee.

“Indiana, yes, that’s where I’m from.”

“You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that girl, though, would you? Chakotay didn’t want to tell me anything.”

“It’s a big state, Tom. I don’t know everyone who lives there.” Kathryn rolled her eyes at him but made a mental note to call her sister later.

“Excuse me.” The voice came from Kathryn’s left. It was the striking redhead who put her empty cup on the counter. “Could I get another one, please?”

“Sure thing. I’ll bring it over.” Tom flashed her a smile, but the woman was already walking back to her table studying her PADD.

For some reason, Kathryn was intrigued. Sure, the woman was one of the most beautiful humans Kathryn had ever seen and her cheekbones were exquisite, but what Kathryn found most endearing was how unfazed the stranger seemed to be by Tom who normally managed to catch anyone’s attention at least for a while, how absorbed she was in her work, and the fact that she used real books.

“Who is she?” Kathryn asked.

Tom put some tea leaves into an infuser and looked up at Kathryn curiously.

“She’s a medical student. Beverly… something. I’ve heard she can be a bit mean. My friend Jack asked her out once.”

“And turning him down makes her mean?”

“Just telling you what I’ve heard,” Tom said and put his hands up in a defensive gesture.

“U-huh,” Kathryn replied. “What’s she having?”

“Green tea. The umpteenth cup. She’s been working over there for hours.”

Kathryn glanced over at Beverly again.

“She looks like she could use a break,” Kathryn mused. “Belay that tea order, Tom, and make me a Betazoid chococcino, would you?”

Tom scoffed.

“Your command training is showing, Kathryn. And what happened to _coffee, black_?”

Kathryn sighed, silently begging for patience.

“For her, not me. I’ll drink one of those concoctions the day hell freezes over. But you can pour me another cup of proper coffee while you’re at it.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

As soon as Tom had prepared their beverages, Kathryn took both cups and went over to the window booth. She put the chococcino down in front of Beverly who looked at the cup and then at Kathryn.

“I’m sorry, but I wanted green tea.”

Kathryn sat down opposite her.

“And I don’t think I invited you to sit here,” Beverly added, put her pen down and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

Kathryn smiled at her. “I know,” she said. “But you’re in my spot.” At that Beverly opened her mouth as if to speak, but Kathryn held up a hand and continued, “And my booth and I, we’ve been through some pretty intense all-nighters. Trust me, a break and some sugar mixed in with all the caffeine will do wonders for your work.”

“Well, I certainly seem to be a bit stuck right now,” Beverly admitted, though she still looked sceptical.

“What are you working on?” Kathryn asked and drank from her coffee.

Beverly mirrored her movements.

“Damn, that’s really good,” she exclaimed and took one more sip before she put her cup down and, for the first time, smiled at Kathryn. Kathryn found she wouldn’t mind being the recipient of such a look more often. Finally, Beverly spoke,

“I’m working on a research paper. I’ve been running a series of experiments on tissue samples. I meant to draw some conclusions about tissue regeneration in different species, but I can’t seem to make sense of the results.”

“And as long as that’s the case you can’t really start writing either,” Kathryn assumed and Beverly nodded with a sigh.

“Exactly.”

“Why don’t you tell me about the experiments?” Kathryn suggested.

“I haven’t seen you at medical before. Do you know anything about tissue regeneration?”

“Nothing whatsoever. And exobiology isn’t exactly my forte either, but…” Kathryn shrugged at Beverly’s raised eyebrow, “maybe trying to explain your set-up and results to me will help clear your mind.”

“It certainly can’t make it any worse,” Beverly said and began talking about her research.

Two hours later the outline for her paper and notes about what aspects to include in each section were neatly saved to a PADD. Kathryn really hadn’t done much. She had just listened to the other woman’s deliberations, asked a few questions which had mainly sprung from her lack of knowledge in the field but had still been occasionally useful, and made sure that they hadn’t run out of teas and coffees. Kathryn was quite pleased when Beverly finally put the last PADD down, closed her books and smiled at her.

“Wow, I’ve been thinking about that for days and then you come along and only a few hours later it’s all so clear.”

“I haven’t done anything, though. It was all you.”

“Well, thanks anyway. For listening-“ Beverly interrupted herself. “I don’t even know your name.”

Only then Kathryn realised that they hadn’t actually introduced themselves.

“Kathryn Janeway,” she said.

“It’s very nice to meet you, Kathryn Janeway.”

Kathryn liked the way her name sounded from Beverly’s lips.

“It’s good to meet you, too…” She raised her eyebrows questioningly.

“Beverly Howard.”

“Beverly Howard,” Kathryn repeated smiling.

“Now, Kathryn, can I buy you another cup of coffee as a thank you?”

“God,” Kathryn groaned. “Please don’t. One more cup and I’ll jump to warp.”

“And I wouldn’t want to risk that. I might lose sight of you.”

“Well, I’d always have to come back here to refuel, so you’d know where to find me again.”

Beverly started putting her things into her bag.

“And do you think it will be necessary for you to refuel tomorrow? Say at five,” she asked.

“Quick calculations confirm that this will indeed be the case.”

“Great,” Beverly said and stood up. “See you then.”

“Yes, see you then. I’m looking forward to it.”

Kathryn smiled brightly at Beverly when she waved at her from the door on her way out.

 

Soon after that the booth by the window was more often than not occupied by both Kathryn and Beverly. They sometimes sat there studying for their respective classes in companionable silence, and Kathryn felt comfortable with Beverly even when they were not talking for hours. They always tried to make a bit of time to chat, too, though. They didn’t share any classes and their scientific interests were very different, but Kathryn liked that they shared so many other things, had so much in common outside their fields of study:

They had read many of the same books, although they didn’t always enjoy the characters or the stories or the writing equally which made for some rather heated discussions.

They both loved flowers, although Beverly tended to ramble about their medicinal purposes while Kathryn admired them for their sheer beauty. Beverly still seemed a bit jealous when she found out that Mr. Boothby, the groundskeeper, brought freshly picked flowers to Kathryn’s quarters every other day, and although she tried she couldn’t quite play down her joy when Kathryn saw to it that the gardener brought the roses to Beverly’s quarters instead.

They shared annoyed looks when one of the guys asked them out again. That Jack Tom had mentioned once only ever had eyes for Beverly, but Tom himself happily continued chatting both of them up, just as the two of them happily continued to decline his advances.

They also bonded over the loss of parents, an evening that ended with them not sitting across from each other, but with Kathryn taking the seat next to Beverly on the bench resting her head on her shoulder. Chakotay silently brought them spice tea and just let them sit there, watching the rain outside and dwelling on old memories together.

It was after that on their way back to the Academy crowded together under Kathryn’s umbrella when Beverly said,

“Some of my classmates are throwing a party on Saturday. Would you like to come with me?”

Kathryn put her free hand on Beverly’s arm that was linked with hers.

“I’d love to.”

 

Despite the fact that Kathryn usually wasn’t one to go partying she had been really looking forward to that evening with Beverly. She had been a bit annoyed with herself when she had taken ages (or at least far longer than she normally would) to choose her outfit for the night. But since the way Beverly had asked her out, the glint in her eyes, had seemed to hold the promise of something more, Kathryn had wanted to look her best, just in case. Now she was glad she had made an effort because, although Beverly sat across from her in their window booth at _The Night Owl_ , the table between them wasn’t a barrier. It allowed them to look at each other, slightly different from all the times they had been sitting in that same place before, with hints of anticipation and desire. The table between them also allowed them to catch their breath and Kathryn was grateful for that. She had been bristling with excitement all evening ever since the moment Beverly had picked her up wearing a dress that not only set off her beautiful eyes but whose low back neckline had let Kathryn’s imagination run wild once she’d seen it. She hadn’t been able to keep a little gasp from escaping her throat and Beverly had looked over her shoulder to wink at her. After that the evening had practically flown by.

They had met a couple of people Beverly knew but Kathryn couldn’t for the life of her remember their names. She had been distracted by Beverly’s hand at the small of her back and she had felt a little intoxicated, and not only because of the wine they were drinking. Soon enough Beverly had dragged her towards the dance floor. Kathryn liked dancing, but she wasn’t really used to moving to this sort of popular music where one didn’t have a fixed sequence of steps to follow. Beverly had been completely unfazed by that, happily shimmying to the beat and enjoying herself. It had taken half a song before Beverly had grabbed Kathryn’s hand pulling her closer and moving together with her. Following Beverly’s lead Kathryn had quickly found her rhythm. The music had been far too loud to talk, but there had been no need for that anyway. Dancing the night away their bodies had told their own story. A story of stepping closer and closer until chests and hips and thighs met, of hands letting go of each other and finding shoulders and necks and strands of hair to hold instead, of a cheek pressed to another cheek, and of lips carefully ghosting over jaws and cheekbones and the corner of another mouth. They had both been breathless.

“Let’s get some air?” one of them had asked and they had stumbled out into the night. They had kissed under a full moon and giggled over the cheesiness of it all. Eventually falling silent Beverly had bent down to place a kiss on the tip of Kathryn’s nose. A shiver had gone through Kathryn’s body, partly because of Beverly, but also because the night was cool.

“You wanna go back inside?” Beverly had asked but Kathryn had shaken her head. She hadn’t felt like sharing Beverly with a noisy crowd.

“How about we go somewhere a bit quieter?”

“Coffee?”

“Perfect.”

And there they were, letting the things that had transpired between them settle, slowing down and basking in the knowledge that there was more to come. Kathryn took a sip of her coffee and with her free hand she reached over the table taking one of Beverly’s hands in her own. With her thumb Kathryn painted invisible patterns into Beverly’s palm.

“I certainly understand why they call you the dancing doctor now,” she said remembering something she had thought of earlier when Beverly had pirouetted over the dance floor.

Beverly cringed.

“I hate it when people say that.”

“But why? You’re such a terrific dancer.”

“I know. You should see my tap dancing. It’s really good.”

Kathryn smiled at that.

“Then why don’t you like the nickname?” she asked.

“Because I’m not a real doctor yet.”

“I see.” Kathryn pulled Beverly’s hands to her lips and kissed her knuckles. “But you will be very soon. And a brilliant one at that.”

“Thanks.”

A smile spread over Beverly’s face again that soon turned into a wicked grin.

“You definitely know how to move your body as well,” she remarked.

Kathryn felt her cheeks heat up and she was pretty sure she was blushing. But Beverly kept her eyes fixed on Kathryn’s and licked her lips, so Kathryn didn’t care.

“I did ballet when I was younger.”

“I didn’t know that.”

“Oh, there are more secrets for you to unravel.”

“Only if you unravel mine as well.”

“I can’t wait.”

 

* * *

 

 

About five decades later:

 

“I should never have agreed to go with you _to just get some coffee real quick_!”

Shannon turned towards her grouchy friend.

“Come on, Amara. We should be there any minute now.”

Amara frowned which set off the ridges on her forehead and made her look even fiercer. She growled but continued walking nonetheless. It took Shannon another five minutes to find the right street and finally the coffee shop she had been looking for.

“Here it is!” she exclaimed. “The Night Owl.”

Shannon dragged her friend inside.

“You’ve been going on about this place for days. What’s so special about it anyway?” Amara asked once the two of them were seated in a booth by the window.

“Rumour has is that they serve the best coffee within walking distance of the Academy.”

“Terrific,” Amara mumbled.

But Shannon didn’t let that damp her spirits.

“It’s also something of a family favourite,” she said.

“Your folks are in Starfleet?” Amara asked.

“Yeah, some of them. My parents are not, although they met right here in this coffee shop.”

“I can see what you mean by family favourite then,” Amara replied still not overly enthusiastic.

“Oh, that’s not all, though.” Shannon looked at Amara expectantly and the half-Klingon rolled her eyes.

“Come on, Shannon. I might not be dying to hear it, but you’re obviously dying to tell me. Go ahead.”

Shannon quickly rubbed her hands.

“Okay,” she said. “So, as I told you, my parents met here and dad insists it’s the cutest story ever, but actually it’s a bit lame because my great aunt met her first husband almost the same way, giving her number to the barista. It’s a classic.”

Shannon gestured towards the counter where several staff were busy preparing beverages.

“Are you planning on giving your number to one of them then?” Amara asked.

Shannon hadn’t actually considered that, but it wasn’t the point of being here anyway. She told her friend so.

“Then what, pray tell, is the point?”

“I wanted to see the place where my grandmothers met.”

“Your grandmothers met here, too? How many more of your folks have begun the continuation of your family line in this place?” Amara looked around as if worried that all of a sudden someone in search for a mate could appear.

“I think they were the first,” Shannon said. “But their love story really is beautiful. You see, my grandma Kathy always says that she saw that beautiful woman reading actual paper books and instantly fell in love. And grandma Bev always insists that she tried really hard to be appalled because she got interrupted in her work, but apparently Kathy was far too charming to find her anything but lovely.”

“Okay, that is kind of cute,” Amara admitted. “Did they get together right away?”

“Pretty soon, I think. They went dancing and they both love it so much, you know, and then they came here afterwards. I’ve been trying to get the details for ages, but neither of them will spill. I reckon, there was a kiss somewhere between the dancing and the coffee, but that’s all I know.”

“I think maybe that’s all you need to know.”

“Yeah, probably.”

“And they’re still together?”

“Oh yes. For more than fifty years now. I’ve never seen two people more in love. And it all started right here.” Shannon looked around smiling. Somehow _The Night Owl_ felt like an important place.

“I don’t think any relationship in my family ever lasted that long,” Amara said. “It all sounds so perfect.”

Shannon ordered another round of coffees before she answered.

“I mean, they are so happy now, but they’ve been through some pretty tough times. They are both in Starfleet. You know how it is, you get assigned to different ships and the like. Once Kathy got lost on a mission. The whole ship just disappeared and for years Bev didn’t know what had happened to her. But they got through it.”

Amara thought about that for a moment.

“But your grandmother wasn’t on Voyager, was she?” she asked.

Shannon sometimes forgot that most people with at least a passing interest in recent Federation history knew about Voyager, especially people who attended the Academy.

“Yes, Voyager was her ship,” she confirmed.

Now Amara seemed even more interested than before.

“That’s so cool!” she exclaimed. “I mean, it was obviously complete targ shit for your grandmothers. But as a kid I was sort of obsessed with Voyager. I just found the idea of being so far away all on your own so exciting. My dad once took me to one of Admiral Janeway’s lectures about the Borg.”

Shannon grinned. She had just realised that Amara had no idea who her grandmothers were.

“Oh, then you’ve already met my grandma Kathy,” she said.

Amara’s face went from excitement to confusion to complete disbelief.

“You’re kidding, right?”

Shannon shook her head.

“You’re telling me that Admiral Janeway is your grandmother? But… but that would mean that Doctor… that the Head of Starfleet Medical is your other grandmother.”

Shannon nodded.

“Shannon! You’ve been my roommate for two months now. How come you haven’t told me that you’re the grandchild of two of Starfleet’s not only most decorated but also most inspiring officers?”

“Because to me they’re just my grandmas,” Shannon shrugged. “They talk about nothing but the house they’re going to move to now that they’re about to retire, and argue about whether to get a cat or a dog. They feed me up every time I visit them and they always embarrass me in front of my friends. Regular grandmas.”

Amara smiled at Shannon.

“I wouldn’t say regular, but I get it. And I think it’s really sweet.”

“So, what about your family?” Shannon asked.

“The Klingon or the human side?”

But Amara didn’t get to tell Shannon about either side of her family just then because someone stepped towards their table.

“Excuse me, you’re in our spot.”

“I can’t believe you just said that to our granddaughter. This is my line.” Kathryn had appeared next to Beverly, two cups of coffee to go in hand.

“Hi, Shannon, darling,” she said. “I see you finally listened to me and tried the coffee here.”

“And it really is as good as you always said. Even Amara thinks so and she doesn’t even like coffee all that much.”

“I know someone like that, too,” Kathryn replied and glanced at her wife pointedly.

But Beverly ignored her. She had turned towards Amara who had snapped to attention.

“Admiral, Doctor,” she said formally.

Shannon thought she still looked a bit starstruck and snickered. Luckily both her grandmas were very good at making people feel comfortable.

“Oh, please relax,” Beverly said. “It’s nice to meet you.”

She shook Amara’s hand and then took her coffee from Kathryn so that she could do the same.

“Listen,” Beverly continued, “I’m sorry, but we’ve got to go. We have a meeting in half an hour. But why don’t you stop by for lunch on Sunday, Shannon? You haven’t told us about your first weeks at the Academy yet.”

“Yeah, sure. I’ll bring pie for dessert,” Shannon agreed.

Beverly and Kathryn had already started towards the exit, but Kathryn turned around once more.

“Oh, and honey, you can bring your girlfriend of course.”

Shannon closed her eyes for a moment.

“She’s my friend. We’re roommates.”

“Bring her anyway. She’s cute. You should keep her around,” Kathryn said before she wound her arm around Beverly’s waist.

Shannon and Amara watched them leave.

“God, that reminds me of when we were young,” they heard Beverly say.

“See, I told you they were embarrassing,” Shannon sighed once her grandmothers were finally out of the door.

Amara beamed at her.

“Oh, I love them.”

 

 


End file.
